Where to Eat, Drink, and Stay in Paris

Where to Eat, Drink, and Stay in Paris

</head>There’s no shortage of life-changing meals to be had in Paris, but to experience the city at its most exciting in 2014, you’ll need to head to former fringe neighborhoods like the ethnically diverse 10th arrondissement. From the hip Canal Saint-Martin up through still-gritty pockets in the shadow of the Gare du Nord, trailblazing chefs like Katsuaki Okiyama and Thierry Breton draw food-savvy locals to an increasing number of “It” spots. Throw in a growing indie coffee scene, natural wines, plus market-fresh shopping, and why would you go anyplace else?

LA POINTE DU GROUINFreewheeling chef Thierry Breton has long drawn locals to the scruffy area around the Gare du Nord for multicourse feasts at his restaurants Chez Michel and Chez Casimir. At La Pointe du Grouin, the bare-bones tavern and wine bar he opened last year, he appeals to a more laid-back crowd. Sandwiches and hearty, shareable small plates of braised oxtail, breaded pork snout, and lobster salad are served with Breton’s own bread at (relatively) bargain prices. Pair with natural wines by the magnum and decadent kouign-amann for dessert.

AU COMPTOIR DE BRICELike many rising French chefs, market-driven ingredients define Brice Morvent’s cooking. Unlike most of them, Morvent doesn’t have to look far to source them. His popular lunch spot sits amid a host of purveyors in the Saint-Martin covered market. Whether you order one of his rotating contemporary French dishes (get the foie gras mi-cuit appetizer with candied cherry plums and toasted cereal bread if offered) or his signature mini burgers with melted Comté, make sure you sit at one of the counter seats for the best view of the open kitchen.

VIVANT CAVEWhen Pierre Jancou opened his neo-bistro Vivant (now Vivant Table) on the rue des Petites Écuries in 2011, the street was lined with gnarly dive bars and dingy takeaway joints. Even so, Jancou quickly turned it into a destination for in-the-know diners. At Vivant Cave, his new wine bar and grocer annex, you’ll find the same commitment to natural, “living” wines and pedigreed ingredients—but at more affordable prices. Squeeze in at the marble bar and order the boudin noir , delectably runny Saint Nectaire cheese, or one of three plats du jour.

ABRIJapanese chef Katsuaki Okiyama honed his technique in the rarefied kitchens of Taillevent and Robuchon before opening this casual spot last year. If the space seems nondescript, maybe it’s because all the energy went into creating the accessible tasting menu (buttermilk suckling pig, a devastating fondant au chocolat). He also serves the city’s most talked-about sandwich—but only at lunch on Monday and Saturday. The four-layer behemoth packs breaded and fried pork, a kimchi omelet, cabbage, melted Cheddar, and a light mayo-tonkatsu sauce between toasted, crustless bread. And, yes, it alone is worth the reservation.

TEN BELLES/HOLYBELLYTo fully experience the energy of the Canal Saint-Martin neighborhood, take your morning coffee here, surrounded by Thomas Lehoux devotees. The star barista and co-founder of Belleville roastery peddles some of the city’s best beans and also offers a rotating menu of soups, sandwiches, and decadent desserts. Across the canal, Holybelly is an equally charming Aussie-style café, where the barley hash browns are as good (very!) as the coffee.

LE CONSERVATOIRE DE CÉDRIC CASANOVAFranco-Sicilian Cédric Casanova spent 15 years as a circus tightrope walker. These days, his passion for pleasing crowds has been more grounded. Building on the success of his tiny speciality grocery, La Tête dans les Olives, Casanova’s latest project, a market/restaurant combo, seats up to 10 for what he calls a “gastronomic picnic.” That translates to small, seasonal, veg-centric plates concocted at his whim: pickled carrots, eggplant pasta, and citrus granita.

WHERE TO STAYAside from being next to Vivant Cave and fun local bars, Hôtel Paradis’s greatest asset is its design: Nordic-inspired and cozy. For a view, book one of the 12 rooms at Le Citizen overlooking the Canal Saint-Martin, where breakfast is, in a very un-Parisian twist, included.

SWEET OBSESSIONSIn a city full of stunning pastries, the choices can be overwhelming. Heed our advice: Pick up one of these specialties.

Cream PuffsEscape the tourists around Nôtre-Dame with a cup of tea and a plate of pistachio, lemon, or caramel cream puffs at matchbox-size Odette.

ÉclairsThe gleaming versions at Christophe Adam’s L’Éclair de Génie are otherworldly delicious and come in untraditional flavors like yuzu lemon and salted caramel.

Tarte TropézienneNo need to jet to Saint-Tropez. This iconic three-cream brioche-y treat has found a home in Paris at La Tarte Tropézienne.

Angel CakesThe airy Japanese angel cakes at Pâtisserie Ciel come sweet and savory and are best devoured on-site with a cup of Jugetsudo green tea.